The results of a recent survey showed that the most common claims on travel insurance are for medical reasons, flowed by holiday cancellation, lost luggage, travel delays and finally missed departure. In the event that any of these occur, distressed holidaymakers feel safe in the knowledge that they have taken out travel insurance.
Unfortunately for some, not all claims can be honoured – here are the top 5 reasons why travel insurance claims are rejected.
- Not disclosing a pre-existing medical condition
You must make your insurer fully aware of a pre-existing condition. If you need medical help for an illness or injury you haven’t declared, your insurance will not cover the costs. Declare any pre-existing condition when applying and you will be covered for all eventualities.
- Purchasing inadequate cover
Too many people look at policy price and not what is included resulting in holidaymakers realising too late that their budget travel insurance does not cover lost luggage or cancelation.
- Lack of evidence for a claim
If you want to make a claim for goods that have been stolen, you will need to produce a police report or the insurer is not obliged to pay out. This can be tricky to sort out after the event, especially if you were on holiday abroad when the incident took place. You will also need to prove that you owned the item in the first place.
- Being intoxicated
If you have an accident on holiday whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you will not be covered by your travel insurance policy. Unsurprisingly, you must be compos mentis and seen to be capable of looking after yourself. This is an important point to remember if you are planning a boozy break in the sun!
- Getting into a fight
As ending up in a fight is often a result of being intoxicated, insurers will be unwilling to pay out if you make a claim. However if you can prove that you were defending yourself – and probably prove that you were not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the insurer may honour the claim.